Bumper



Nov. 17, 1931. CHRIS-HE 1,832,184

BUMPER Filed Feb. 25, 1931' #vvavrom JOHN E. CHRIST EN.

Patented Nov. 17,' 1931 TENT OFFICE:

JOHN EBERHARD CHRISTEN, OF SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA BUMPER Applicationfiled February 25, 1931. Serial No. 518,108. 4

My invention relates to improvements in bumpers for automobiles and thelike wherein a fixed bar and-a movable'barnormally are held in spacedparallel relation by resilient means interposed between the bars, saidmeans being yieldable under shock or pressure to resist displacement ofthe movable bar relative to the'fixed bar. A

My present invention is directed to improvements uponmy formerinvention, Patent Number 1,696,429,":issued to me upon December 25,1928, and consists in an im-' proved structure and arrangement whereinthe outer movable bar is of rigid construction and provided with meanswhereby the movable bar is effectually secured in assembled relation andguided in its movement re ive to the fixed bar. j

The primarv obiectof the present invention is to provide an improvedbumper for automobiles and the like.

Another object is to provide an improved bumper adapted to effectuallyabsorb shock imposed thereon and to reduce injury to the automobile andany object with which the bumper may collide. A

A further obiect is to provi de an improved bumper of ruggedconstruction which will efl'ectuallv a sorb and distri ute shock.

Another obiect is to provide an improved structure of the characterdescribed in which the several parts are effectually secured and held inoperative assembled relation.

A still further obiect is to provide an improved device of simple.rugged. and eflicient construction which is neat and attractive inappearance andwhich is positive and eflicient in operation. 7

I accompl sh these and other obiects by means of the improved devicedisclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present applicationwherein like characters of reference are used to designate v similarparts throughout the specification and drawings, and. in which Fig. 1 isa plan view of my improved bumper;

- Fig, 2 is a front elevation of the bumper;

F5 3 is a transverse section taken upon the line 3-3 of F ig. 1 in thedirection indicated,

the cushion member being shown in eleva tion;and l A w L "Fig. 4 is abroken sectional detail of the cushion member. w I 7 Referring to thedrawings, the numeral 1 is used to designate a rigid bar arranged to bemounted in fixed position upon an automobile or the like, not shown, bymeansof. mounting brackets 2 riveted or otherwise secured to the bar 1.A r i A movable bumper bar 3 is mounted in conn ection" with the fixedbar 1. The bar 3 is rlgid and is connected to the fixed bar 1 by meansof a plurality of bolts or other suitable connecting members 4. Themembers 4 are threaded, as at 5 or otherwise rigidlysecured to one ofthe rigid bars, preferably the outer movable bar 3. and extend throughapertures 6 in the other bare Nuts 'T, or other suitable retainingmeans. are mounted uponthe-ends of'the members 4 to limit theoutwardmovementof the movable bar 3 relative to the fixedbar 1.

The movable bar-3 is normally held spaced relation to the'fixed bar 1 bymeans of resilient blocks 8, preferably made from rubber, or othersuitable resilient material,

mounted upon the connecting members 4 between the fixed and movablebars. The blocks 8' are preferably cylindrical in shape and are of alength adapted to obtain the desired spacing between the bars 1 and-3.The blocks 8 are providedwith an opening!) extending axiallytherethrough to receive the connecting members 4 whereby the blocks areef fectually held in operative position between the bars. i j g Theblocks 8 are preferably formed with a spiral groove 11 uponthe outercylindrical surface; 1 Spiral springs 12 are preferably seated in thegroove 11, the springs 12 being of a length substantially equal to thelength of the blocks 8. The springs are preferably slightly compressedbetween the bars 1 and V 3 when in normal position to assist the blocks8 in holding the bars in the normal spaced relation, and to combine withsaid blocks to produce a resilient cushion adapted to yieldably resistdisplacement of the movable memher 3 relativeto the fixed bar 1.

' Width of ,lbumper.

pearance without unduly increasing -;the'

Weight of the bumper. The integral structure affords relative lightnessof construction, and avoids the expense of assembling a plurality ofseparate bars'to obtain the same In operat on, the bumper. eonstructedand assembled as above described. is mounted upon an automobile orotherobi ectsubj ectto collision .or impaotwith .otherheavy orrigid.hodies. ,In normalconditions, the movable member 3 is held outwardly toits extreme zlilnitiofimovement bv the blocks8 and springs 12. Ineventof acollisiom or when thelbumn er is subiected to impact with someexternal object. the outer movable bumper bar '3 is forcejdinwardlvagainst the yielding resistance of the blocks 8 and springslfl, Theresistance offered by the blocks ,8 and springs 12 increases innroportion to the amount of [displacement of the movable bar 3; the dis-I is placing force being distributed substantially fi ua'llyalongtheentire .1 en eth of the bumper. This yielding resistanceztodisplacement -oper- .a'tes' 'toiabsorb theshock ofimpact, so that themoving body is brought to a stopgradually, and retards the motive force,in ordinary shocks, su'fliciently to prevent serious damage. The sizeand strength of the blocks )8 and springs J1 are designed to meet therequirements ofanv particular service, and maybe varied through arelatively large range by substituting .sprine's 12 of various characteristics or byomitting the springs V-entire'ly Where the rubber blocks 8a-iford suflicient re sistance to meet ordinary requirements.

'W-hile 11 have illustrated and described lhat'l regard as the preferredconstruction of my improvedbumper; various specific details ofconstruction .and arrangement may he made without departing from thespirit of my invention, and I desire to avail mvse'l'fQfiallysuch.modificatien which may falljwithhescopeoi the appendedclaims. Having thus described my invention, what I claim asinew and.desi re to secure .by Letters Patent is:

,A bumper comprising a pair of rigid bumper bars; mounting means uponone .of said bars to mount the same upon a vehicle; connecting meanscarried by one of the bars and .slidably engaging the other bar to *secure the bars in assembled relation; and re- 7 silient :means mountedupon the connecting means between the bars and normallyjholding saidbars in spaced relation, said means comprising a resilient block havinga spiral grooveupon its outer surface, and a spiral spring seated withinthe groove, said block and spring being yieldable to absorb shock orpressure imposed upon the bumper.

. 2...A,humper .comprisingafixed rigid bar provided with ,means'toimountthe same upon a vehicle; a rigid movable bar; bolts secured at one endto one of the bars and extending through apertures inthe other bar, saidbolts being slidably movable through said aper-e tures to permitmovement of the movable bar relative-to the fixedbar, and being providedwith means to limit the movement of said movable :bar away from thetfixed "ban; :and

resilient -means mounted upon the bolts between .the'bars :to normallyihold said bars [in spaced parallelmelation, saiduneans compris- .inga'res'ilient block having a spiral :groove upon its outersurface, and aspiral spring seated. in said groove and combining with said block toyield-ably zresistidisplacement of the movable 'bar when subjected ;toshock or pressure; 1

8. Inabu1nper,=the combination with a'fixed bar and arigid-movablebar,.of resilient-cushion means interposed between the :bars andcomprising :rubber block ihavmg a :Spllflil groove on its outer surface;and 'a spiral spring seated within thegroove andcombin- :ing with: saidblock to, yieldably resist displacement of the movable-bar.

. In witness whereof, 1 hereunto set any signature.

JOHN E. QHRI'STEN.

